Chichiue: Honoured Father
by Sarga
Summary: COMPLETE: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dog demon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal? Did Sesshoumaru know of this other brother?
1. A New Inu

**Chichiue (_Honoured Father_)**

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

**Summary**: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dogdemon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for._

_For your reading ease, I've included some definitions below: _

_Inu :: dog_

_hanyou :: half demon_

_kami :: gods _

_youkai :: demon  
_

_- - - - - - - - - - _

**Chapter 1: A New Inu**

A lush green forest stood tall in the distance, yellow grass and gravel lining the distance down to a meandering river's rocky edge. The late afternoon sun blazed heavily downward, an uncaring witness to the life or death struggle in its purview.

As if in defiance of the sun's mighty influence, a tall, lanky demon woman floated in the air. Water, stolen from the river below, wrapped around her in a protective bubble. Her pale blue skin blended seamlessly with the water making her appear almost translucent from within. Her navy blue hair floated about her gently, suspended and loose in her watery cocoon. With a slight flick of her wrist several jets of water flew from the stream below, attacking the four nearby targets.

Sango, sitting atop Kilala, avoided the streaming torrent by flying higher, her loyal demon mount protecting her with confident speed and agility. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu toward the woman, only to have it deflected harmlessly back towards her.

Miroku, wary of Naraku's poison insects, was unable to pull the water into his cursed hand. Instead he dodged out of the way in an effective, albeit clumsy dive. The violent water blasted away at the loose gravel that was where Miroku had been. The power of the water would have been enough to crush his human frame to the ground.

Inuyasha, in his usual manner, dove nimbly out of the way, slicing at the stream and turning it into a harmless spray.

The blue water demon, however, was not concerned for these three misses. Her primary target was still well within her grasp.

Kagome, slower than her comrades, could not avoid the deadly blast. She squeezed her eyes shut as she attempted to dive away, knowing her movement was too sluggish for the demon speed. Before her friends could react, the water crashed into the rocky ground, brutally shattering all that was in its path.

Its path, however, did not include Kagome.

Kagome felt herself lift high in the air, warm arms pulling her tightly to a strong body. Kagome opened her eyes and was met with a shocking view of her rescuer. His golden eyes, silver hair, delicate triangular ears and surly expression were so close to Inuyasha's that were she not so close, she might have mistaken the stranger for her friend.

Placing her safely behind a tree, the new inu hanyou flew into the fray, his claws bared lethally towards the startled water demon.

Not to be outdone by the stranger, Inuyasha lunged towards the demon as well, his Tetsusaiga drawn and its power fully unleashed. Inuyasha sliced at one side of the demon while the stranger tore at the other. With no means of escape, the demon screamed her death's cry, and a tiny jewel shard was propelled from her body with the force of the double blow. Rushing from her safe haven, Kagome retrieved the tiny shard, whose glow only she could perceive.

Each inu hanyou landed safely on the ground on either side of Kagome. The pair eyed each other suspiciously, the only perceptible difference being the colour of their clothing. The stranger, clad in an earthy brown, bared a fang in a sarcastic smirk.

"I see the old man sired another mutt," the stranger huffed, sizing up his double.

There was no denying it, the two were practically twins.

The initial shock worn off, Kagome timidly approached the stranger in a bow of greeting.

"My name's Kagome. Thank you for saving me." Kagome stood up straight again and looked to the her rescuer.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Inuyasha, his body bristling.

The stranger sneered. "I wouldn't be so rude to the one who just saved your woman, Mutt." The stranger grabbed Kagome's arm and she let out a startled yelp. He pulled her flush to his body so that her back was pressed to his chest.

"You never know," he growled then buried his nose into Kagome's hair, taking a deep breath. Lifting his head slightly his smirk revealed the baser nature of his intentions. "Maybe she'll be more inclined to stick around someone who keeps her safe." The stranger leered down at Kagome, sending a shiver down her spine freezing her in place.

Inuyasha sputtered in anger. "Kagome's not my... just _get your hands offa her_!" Inuyasha lunged towards the pair only to have Kagome thrown towards him. The stranger scoffed at Inuyasha's slow reflexes as Kagome's arm was scratched by his extended claws. Before he could do any serious damage to Kagome, Inuyasha threw his arms wider and caught her roughly in a bear hug.

"The name's Adachi, _brother_." Adachi stressed the last word sarcastically, his eyes rolling upwards. "I wouldn't harm your woman," he leered at her again. "She might not fare so well with an enemy of yours though."

Kagome wheeled around, a fire in her eyes as Inuyasha growled.

"Why you little..." Inuyasha ground out.

"Believe it or not," Adachi interrupted, his tone suddenly weary. "I came here to offer my aid, not to fight."

Inuyasha snorted at Adachi's claim. "Like I need the help of a lowlife like you."

"You say that without even knowing what I'm going to say..." Adachi's tone turned sarcastic again, an air of superiority emanating from the hanyou in waves. "And after I risked my personal safety to save the beautiful 'not your woman'." Adachi winked at Kagome.

Kagome's cheeks became tinged with pink as she gently clasped Inuyasha's arm with her hand. "Let him speak, Inuyasha," she whispered. Inuyasha glared at her with obvious confusion.

"But he almost..."

"But he didn't," Kagome pleaded with Inuyasha, her eyes wide and her voice low. "He has two jewel shards, Inuyasha! He saved me and he's willing to help."

"Fine," Inuyasha yanked his arm, from her grasp. "Speak," he barked towards Adachi.

"I know you are seeking the shards of the Shikon No Tama." Adachi reached inside his cloak and pulled out two sizable jewel shards. "I offer them to you in exchange for allowing me to join you in your search."

Inuyasha's mouth stood agape for a moment before Kagome responded.

"You did save me, Adachi. You could have let me die and taken my shards for yourself." Kagome turned her trusting gaze to Sango, Miroku and Kilala. "As long as my friends have no problem with it, I'd say you can stay."

Sango and Miroku nodded solemnly in response.

Turning her gaze to Inuyasha, Kagome whispered softly. "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha's jaw snapped shut quickly and he glared at Adachi. "Only if you give me your word that you will follow my lead." Inuyasha crossed his arms, continuing his penetrating gaze towards the hanyou before him. This 'Adachi' was too proud to follow him. He would never agree.

Adachi grimaced as if swallowing an unpleasant medicine.

"Fine," Adachi sneered as he spat in disgust.

"Fine," Inuyasha barked back, his hasty plan backfiring on him.

"Fine," Kagome reiterated, more calmly than the hanyou brothers. "Let's go set up camp."

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha stood proudly, his legs set rigidly on the ground in a wide stance. His arms were crossed firmly against his chest as his gloating smirk met head on with an equally arrogant glare. Adachi stood opposite to Inuyasha, his own image reflecting the same intensity and pride. Between the pair two large piles of branches and twigs lay, both equal in height and berth.

"Mine's bigger," Inuyasha's smarmy tone caused Adachi to sneer. The pile closest to Inuyasha contained branches with leaves still attached, the foliage looking out of place in the tangled mass on the ground.

"Like hell, Mutt," Adachi's gravelly voice retorted. "Mine has the sturdiest branches." The pile closest to Adachi contained large chunks of wood, seemingly from the same tree but torn into pieces. A small squirrel popped its head out of one of the larger pieces of wood. Seeing that the two inu hanyou were immobile and not threating him, the creature dove from the wreckage of it's former home and fled into the forest.

"We're building a fire, idiot, not a house!" Inuyasha bellowed. "Mine'll actually burn. Yours'll take forever to catch fire!"

Adachi huffed. "Mine will burn longer, yours," Adachi glanced condescendingly towards Inuyasha's pile. "Yours will burn out long before the coldest part of the night."

The pair were interrupted by the resounding crack of skin meeting skin followed by a familiar yell.

"PERVERT!" Sango's nearby yell caused both hanyou to plaster their ears to their heads.

Kagome broke through the clearing chattering happily with the small fox demon child on her shoulder. A small armload of twigs were clutched carefully in her arms. Stopping as soon as she noticed the pair, Kagome let her jaw fall towards the ground in amazement at the sight.

"Perfect," Inuyasha's face lit up as he saw Kagome. "You can judge which one is the biggest," Inuyasha looked back to Adachi and raised his nose slightly. There was no way that Kagome would betray him, he would show Adachi a thing or two about loyalty.

"They're both the same, Inuyasha," Kagome replied wearily as she pulled herself out of her stupor. Shippo snickered from her shoulder, his hand covering his mouth in a half-hearted attempt to silence himself.

"_What_?" Inuyasha lost his composure and turned towards her, his claws flexing as if to strike.

"Didn't you hear her, Mutt? Or did you lose your hearing?" Adachi laughed as Inuyasha turned on his heal to face him once more.

"Would you two _stop_!"Kagome let out an exasperated yell. "You two have been at it since you met! If you can't act like brothers, the least you can do is let the rest of us have some peace and quiet. Go... stand on opposite sides of the campsite or something!"

Inuyasha growled. "Not before you tell him whose pile is bigger!" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed menacingly as he challenged his brother.

Adachi raised his chin in defiance, silently meeting Inuyasha's gaze with one of his own.

Kagome, sighed audibly in obvious frustration.

"Fine! Inuyasha, you win. I'll tell you whose pile is bigger." Stomping up to the piles of wood, Kagome swiftly dropped her armload onto Adachi's pile. Pointing a free hand behind her towards Adachi, Kagome let out an angry yell. "_His_ is bigger!"

Pivoting on her heal, Kagome stomped back to the center of the site to set up the fire pit. Shippo jumped from her shoulder and watched Kagome arrange the stones in a border about the fire pit. Adachi flashed a fang in victory as the air was punctuated with the words "stupid", "arrogant" and "measuring stick".

In a hushed voice that barely carried to Inuyasha's ears, Adachi murmured, "Looks like she's got you there, Mutt."

With a mighty growl, Inuyasha lunged at Adachi, knocking sticks across the otherwise clear ground.

"_SIT_!" Inuyasha crashed face first into the ground. "Would you stop attacking him, Inuyasha?" Kagome grumbled as she marched back to Inuyasha's prone form and dragged him across the camp site. "Now stay put or, by Kami, I'll say the 's' word until you can't even think of moving."

Adachi stared at the pair in amazement. He had never seen "the 's' word" before, and it was an amazing thing to see when one was not expecting it.

"Kagome!" Adachi called, her anger forgotten in his curiosity. As she turned her back on Inuyasha to face him, Adachi cringed. Seeing that Kagome was still very annoyed, he changed the direction of his question. "Do you need help with the fire?" He waved a hand towards the abandoned pile of stones. Questions about the 's' word could wait.

Adachi watched as Kagome's anger melted at his offer. Her frown turned slightly upward as she replied. "Sure! Go get some of the smaller twigs to start with then we'll add the bigger ones."

Kagome knelt to the ground and continued arranging the stones in a circle. She stiffened as a sea of red joined her side.

"I said to stay back, Inuyasha, and I meant it!" Kagome's smile disintegrated as she scowled towards Inuyasha.

"Oi, wench! What if he tries something again, huh?" Inuyasha's voice became hushed as his own angry eyes stared into hers. "Or did you forget about that?"

Kagome looked away, her frown becoming deeper. Adachi dropped the small pile of wood next to the fire pit, causing both pairs of eyes to turn towards him.

"Wood's here, Kagome. Now where's your flint?" Adachi, oblivious to their suspicion, dropped the wood next to the fire pit.

"We don't need one," Shippo's voice piped up. "I've got my foxfire. Just set it up and leave the rest to me!" Adachi raised an eyebrow and smiled warmly as he arranged the wood in the fire pit.

"It's all your's kiddo," Adachi, still smiling, leaned back as the demon child called forth a stream of blue flame. Adachi narrowed his eyes as he noticed Kagome's discomfort and the glaring hanyou at her side.

Dropping into a seated position next to Kagome, Adachi gazed towards her with a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Kagome."

Kagome blinked towards him, startled by the sincerity of his words.

"I only meant to let the mutt know the dangers of leaving a beautiful woman unprotected in the wild." Adachi gazed unseeing into the fire. "Males do not normally restrain themselves when it comes to an unprotected female. You would both do best to remember that when you are weakened by battle." Adachi shook his head and gazed back towards Kagome with a small smile. "If I had been any other demon, you would be dead by now...or worse." Before Kagome could respond, Adachi arose.

"I'll keep an eye out on the perimeter. I'll wake the mutt up when it's his turn to guard."

With a quick jump into the forest, Adachi was out of sight.

- - - - - - - - - -


	2. A Hunting We Will Go

**Chichiue (_Honoured Father_)**

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

**Summary**: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dogdemon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

_**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for._

_** Translations**:_

_ Inu :: dog_

_hanyou :: half demon_

_youkai :: demon_

_- - - - - - - - - -  
_

**Chapter 2: A-Hunting We Will Go**

The group of six trekked towards the nearest village. There had been a rumor of another jewel shard, this one held by a bear demon. The demon, who had been a minor problem before finding the jewel shard, was now attacking mercilessly every few days, using his newly found power to terrorize the villagers.

As they approached the village, the sight that met them was one of obvious hardship. Several small plots of farmland, the ones closest to the forest's edge, were left untended. Several of the outlying huts were dilapidated, gaping holes clearly showing their lack of occupation.

As the group went deeper into the village, they saw little activity. Tightly sealed huts buffered with sutras were the only sign of habitation.

The group approached the largest building and a tall, lanky adolescent garbed in monk robes pulled aside the door. He quickly stepped out and shut it tightly behind him again.

"Welcome to our village." The boy bowed formally. "I regretfully inform you that we have nowhere safe for visitors. Please make haste to find refuge elsewhere before the nightfall leaves you stranded."

"We're here to kill the bear demon. Where is it?" Inuyasha demanded darkly, crossing his arms. He wanted to kill something and he wanted to do it now.

The boy, startled, bolted upright. "Get inside!" he hissed, glancing around nervously. "Don't say anything else!" He ushered the group inside and was met with a vicious snarl as Inuyasha and Adachi were both forcibly propelled back from the door frame. Shippo paused at the door, looking up to protective sutras. The boy froze in fear, his eyes wide as he realized the trio were of demon blood.

With a reassuring pat on the boy's shoulder, Miroku stepped back outside and removed several sutras from the door frame. Motioning for the three to enter, they all watched as Inuyasha and Shippo, followed by a hesitant Adachi, attempted to enter the hut again. As they entered, Miroku fixed the sutras back onto the door and shut it behind them again.

As if splashed by a bucket of cold water, the boy suddenly lunged towards a staff resting by the door. Miroku, being the closest to the staff, quickly pulled it towards his own and attempted to calm the boy.

"You have no need to fear, as you can see, I am a monk myself and travel willingly with these two." Miroku motioned towards Inuyasha and Adachi, both of whom looked less than impressed with the boy's reaction.

Confusion crossed the boy's face before he looked carefully at Miroku, as if inspecting him for some sign that he was lying. Seemingly convinced of Miroku's words, the boy's shoulders slumped visibly and he turned towards an inner room, motioning for the group to follow.

Inside the room, an injured man lay unconscious near a cooking fire. A bandage around his torso was stained with fresh blood, his injuries new and severe.

"The demon you speak of has grown exceedingly vicious recently. We used to be able to keep it at bay when it attacked, but these past few weeks it has attacked far too often for us to be able to keep up. We've had to abandon the outer fields and we will likely be unable to feed everyone in the coming harvest." The boy sat on the floor and motioned for the others to join him. "He has been coming both day and night these past few weeks. He injured our head monk in his last attack and killed his apprentice. I've been aiding them for the past few months and have enough training to place protective sutras, but..." The boy's face hardened, "...but, this demon is strong. He feeds off of his victims and he's been hungrier since he found a new source of power."

"Where does it live?" Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, ready to tear the creature apart.

"It's been attacking from the North. We think it lives in the caves there but no one has been able to survive in the forest for more than a few hours, let alone get all the way to the caves. It seems to be rather protective of its home." The boy looked hopefully at the two hanyou in the group. In a voice that betrayed his age, he asked softly, "Do you really think you could kill it?"

Inuyasha's chin raised proudly. "Yeah, it's as good as dead."

Sango shifted the Hiraikotsu on her back. "We'll need a place to stay for the night. When we get back we may have injuries."

The boy grew solemn again and nodded.

"The monk and I are the only ones in this hut. You can take the two other rooms for yourselves." The boy motioned towards the remaining unoccupied rooms.

Inuyasha nodded. "Let's get this thing," he growled.

Without further discussion, Inuyasha headed towards the door of the hut. Waiting until Miroku had removed the offending sutras once more, Inuyasha led the group outside.

"I can sense a jewel shard coming from that way," Kagome pointed North. "It's pretty close." Turning towards Shippo, Kagome grew solemn. "It's up to you to keep this village safe while we're gone, Shippo." The child's chest puffed up as he attempted to meet the challenge.

"Right!" Shippo intoned with pride.

Taking the lead, Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga in full form and proceeded into the forest. Moving quickly towards the North, Adachi caught up with Inuyasha.

"Make sure you keep her safe this time, mutt," Adachi muttered.

Inuyasha growled low and sped up and pulled ahead. Stopping suddenly, Inuyasha motioned for the group to stop.

"I can smell it," Inuyasha whispered.

Crouching low, Inuyasha stalked carefully forwards, his ears vertical as he sought out his prey.

A loud crash to their left, followed by the sound of splitting wood, indicated its location. With a guttural roar, the creature snapped more trees, breaking through to the group.

The sight that met them was grotesque.

The bear demon, enlarged by a jewel shard, was covered in blood. It's thickly matted fur told of the countless victims consumed. Teeth, unnaturrally long, dripped with saliva as blood-red eyes gazed hungrily at the humans.

As it's sight fell on the sword in Inuyasha's grasp, it's eyes narrowed with a calculating fury. With a startling roar, the beast practically flew towards his foe. Fang clashed with fang as Inuyasha matched the demon's attack with the Tetsusaiga.

Several smaller noises alerted Sango to several of the bear's allies, flying carrion demons. Not to be caught unawares, Sango gave a mighty heave, sending the Hiraikotsu into the hovering flock. Several of the beasts disintegrated on impact, the blade slicing cleanly through flesh and bone. A surviving demon dive-bombed towards its attacker in murderous fury. With a flurry of motion, Miroku's staff impaled the offending creature as Sango retrieved the Hiraikotsu and readied for another attack.

Adachi leaped towards another demon as it swooped towards Kagome. His claws lashed out, making short work of the vile creature. Kagome nodded in thanks, drawing out her bow. Taking aim at another of the demons, she also joined the attack.

Miroku, taking up the rear, grimaced as he noticed his friends mixed among the attacking demons. Turning his back to his friends, Miroku released his wind tunnel. The scant few demons who had strayed away from the others were pulled in with the deafening sound of his deadly vortex.

With a feral growl Inuyasha repelled the bear demon, it's sprawled form quickly contorting in anger as it regained composure and attacked again.

"The jewel's in its stomach!" Kagome yelled from behind, a break in the attack allowing her to focus on the bear.

Shifting his focus to the creature's midsection, Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga with vigor. With startling speed, the beast clamped its jaws around the blade and beat away Inuyasha with a crushing blow. Flicking its head to the side, the Tetsusaiga was flung out of reach as the creature lunged towards Kagome. Grabbing her with its right arm, it swung its left at Adachi, knocking him into a cluster of birds.

Kagome screamed as the beast's claws tore into her body, a victorious peel of laughter coming from its snarling jaws.

In a burning fury, Inuyasha felt a rushing surge of power well from within him. With a speed previously left untapped, Inuyasha lunged forward once more. The cackling demon, distracted by its assumed victory, found itself no longer possessing Kagome with its right arm. In fact, it found itself no longer possessing a right arm. With a feral snarl, the beast snapped its elongated teeth towards its renewed threat.

With a sadistic grin, Inuyasha stretched his fingers, cracking the knuckles as he did so. His blood red eyes narrow and with a calculating glare, Inuyasha allowed himself a laugh of his own.

Kagome cringed as she heard the foreign sound coming from her dear friend. Tears began to form as she realized that he had once again fallen into his carnal side. All because of her.

Inuyasha lunged forward, his speed too great to track. Within seconds both he and the one-armed demon were at each other's throats. Saliva dripped from the larger beast's jaws as it renewed its attempts to tear the smaller demon apart. This time, however, Inuyasha was prepared. With a vicious swing of his razer-like claws, Inuyasha jumped upwards. A torrent of blood gushed from the side of the demon as his left arm joined his right. The beast fell face first into a snarling pile on the ground. Not to be left defenseless, it jumped onto its hind legs, rebalanced, and lunged forward. Inuyasha met it with another upswing of his claws, tearing through flesh as easily as water.

There was no second lunge.

The demon's carcass fell to the ground with a sickening squelch. The mutilated pieces oozed about Inuyasha as his breath heaved in and out of his body. Turning towards Kagome, Inuyasha's expression was hardened.

"Now for the mongrel..." Inuyasha's voice, heavy with rage, left no room for doubt as to whom he was referring.

Kagome felt, rather than saw, as Inuyasha sped past her towards Adachi and her fallen friends. With a heartbroken scream, Kagome did the only thing within her power.

"_SIT!_"

Inuyasha plunged into the ground with a heavy grunt as Kagome whirled around and raced towards the abandoned Tetsusaiga.

"_SIT!_"

His prone form embedded itself further into the ground as she pulled the sword from the ground. Turning back to Inuyasha, Kagome's tears flowed freely down her face as she brought it towards him.

"Sit," she sobbed, stabbing the sword into the ground by his body. Backing away quickly, she stumbled into a strong grasp. Whirling around, she sobbed heartily into Adachi's shoulder as her weight rested solidly against him.

Inuyasha lifted his gaze from the ground, amber eyes full of regret. He had protected her, but he had almost gone after his own brother as well. Adachi met his brother's gaze as he stroked Kagome's hair comfortingly. With a half smirk unseen by Kagome, Adachi raised an eyebrow towards Inuyasha in an 'I told ya so' manner.

With an audible snarl, Inuyasha pulled himself up and yanked the Tetsusaiga from the ground. Returning it to its scabbard, Inuyasha whirled around and headed towards the village. He was wounded and needed to heal and he'd be damned if he was going to be sat _again_ on account of his brother.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome, still shaken by the afternoon's battle, gently tended to the unconscious Sango's head wound. She would have a small concussion, nothing that a few day's rest wouldn't heal.

Miroku, having acquired several minor abrasions during the battle, was in the other room tending to Inuyasha. Any mention of the hanyou had Kagome in tears and, being the ever-sensitive monk, Miroku had offered without hesitation to tend to his wounded friend. Besides, he did not think his body could handle a crack from the Hiraikotsu if he was lax in his restraint around the fair Sango. Even he had his limits.

As Kagome gave her unconscious friend one last look over, she allowed herself to relax. They were all safe for now. Shippo was asleep, Sango would survive and the boys would live another day. Kagome felt a sob escape as she shifted towards her sleeping bag.

"You don't need to worry, Kagome," Adachi's soft voice made the girl jump slightly. She had forgotten he was there. "All of us are more or less intact." Adachi shifted towards her and sat back against the wall.

Kagome, still upset, tried to explain her apprehension to her new traveling companion.

"I just...I mean...When he loses himself like that..." Kagome gave up and just put her head in her hands, tears flowing silently between her splayed fingers.

Startled, Adachi moved forwards and took the girl gently into his arms, as a parent would do to a child.

"It'll be okay, Kagome," Adachi crooned. Kagome's sobs grew stronger, yet still remained silent. After a few moments, she calmed down enough to trust herself to speak.

"Thanks," she whispered as she pulled back slightly. Shimmying backwards, Kagome leaned her head against the wall, knowing it was useless to try and sleep at this point. "So Adachi," Kagome began, her eyes fixed unseeing on the opposite wall. "Why are you so interested in helping us find the jewel anyway?"

After a few seconds of silence, Kagome brought her questioning gaze toward the hanyou beside her. He seemed to be lost in memory, a frown betraying his unpleasant past. As Kagome set her head back against the wall, he spoke.

"I want to avenge my mother," Adachi's reply was thick, his tone sorrowful. "She was killed because I was just a child who didn't know how dangerous our lives really were. She protected me and I couldn't do the same." Adachi smiled sadly as he looked toward Kagome. "She wanted me to be a normal human child so much that I had no battle training, no ability to defend myself...or her."

Adachi's ears flicked on top of his head as if batting away a fly. "My father was responsible for her death."

Kagome's eyes went wide. This was a part of Inutaisho that she had never before heard of. "Are you sure?" she whispered. All of the things that she had heard about the great lord made this seem out of place. Then again, the only ones who had spoken of him were his children and loyal servant.

Adachi let a wry smile play on his face. "I'm sure. She told me herself before she died. She was mercilessly mangled, not even allowed a quick and painless death." Adachi let his expression fall neutral as he recalled his childhood.

"She never told me why, but he kicked her out of the castle when I was a child. She managed to find a human lord who accepted her as a member of his family. He gave us a home, safety...peace. I was able to grow up in a safe village with little violence. The people weren't friendly, but they weren't particularly hostile either. I've heard of some hanyou being brutalized in their childhood but mine was fairly uneventful." Adachi took a deep breath and closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips with the memories he was reliving. He paused for a moment, the smile slowly falling away.

"As a child I came across my mother's beaten body. She was left in her own bed, bloody and mangled, but still alive when I found her. She told me to avenge her, that my father was responsible."

Kagome turned a shocked head back towards Adachi. His closed eyes seemingly replayed the gruesome scene in his mind.

"I had intended to use the jewel to allow myself to become stronger than my father so that I could crush him as painfully as he did her. But now..." Adachi shrugged and opened his eyes again. "If he's already dead, I suppose I'm more interested in getting my mother back."

Kagome nodded solemnly. Inuyasha was not going to be happy to hear that his father, the great demon he was so proud of, was responsible for such a heinous act. He would deny it, perhaps even to the point of challenging Adachi, but what did they really know about the great demon lord? A demon lord does not come to power by being all sunshine and roses...

- - - - - - - - - -

_Review please!_

_:-: Sarga_


	3. Sibling Rivalry

**Chichiue (_Honoured Father_)**

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

**Summary**: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dog-demon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

_**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for._

_**Translations**:_

_Inu :: dog_

_hanyou :: half demon_

_kami :: gods_

_youkai :: demon_

**- - - - - - - - - -**

**Chapter 3: Sibling Rivalry**

"PERVERT!"

A resounding slap of skin on skin broke the late afternoon's silence. Miroku, sporting a furious red hand print, grinned shamelessly as an enraged demon slayer stomped ahead of the pack, putting as many people between her and the lecherous monk as possible.

Kagome, still upset at Inuyasha's reckless transformation, stuck close to Adachi's side, Shippo clutched in her arms almost painfully. The child, despite his discomfort, knew better than to attempt escape, lest he become the new target for her anger. Stifling a squeak as Kagome's scent spiked in anger and she yet-again tightened her hold on him, Shippo shifted in her arms to give himself more breathing room.

As they proceeded, it did not escape either Adachi's or Inuyasha's notice that Kagome was fixedly ignoring Inuyasha, to the point where she was keeping Adachi's body between them at all costs. Adachi was hard-pressed to restrain his triumphant grin every time his half-brother would turn around, but somehow he managed. Perhaps due to the fact that it allowed him such close contact with the girl or perhaps due to the searing glares she sent Inuyasha every time he turned towards her. Adachi did not consider himself foolish enough to change her target to himself.

Silently brooding at Kagome's avoidance of him, Inuyasha trudged ahead, snapping at anyone who tried to intrude on his foul mood by speaking aloud. As an equally fuming demon slayer silently matched his stride, he bit back a scathing comment, wary that her infamous fury would be unleashed upon him as well. He did _not_ need two angry women focused on him.

Traveling onward in stifling silence, Inuyasha was struck by the sound of trickling water in the distance. In an attempt to steer the group away from the potential distraction a hot spring would give, Inuyasha ground to a halt and barked back towards the weary travelers.

"This is taking too long!" Inuyasha glared at Kagome who looked pointedly away. Marching to her side Inuyasha turned around and scrunched down. "Hop on, _wench_!" he commanded.

Kagome stiffened. Her rigid body stood stalk still as she whipped her head around to sear a hole in Inuyasha's back.

Adachi disguised his huff of amusement as a cough, clearing his throat to keep his voice calm.

"We've been walking all day, Mutt," Adachi couldn't help the smirk that grew as he, too, heard the trickling water in the distance. "And besides, I think we could all use a stop at a hot spring to keep our sanity in check."

Inuyasha turned around, sneering at Adachi. His retort, however, was quickly interrupted by the sound of Kagome's agreement.

"That sounds great, Adachi," Kagome turned gleaming eyes towards him in gratitude. Grabbing Adachi's arm before Inuyasha could protest, Kagome looked towards the forest. "Which way?" she asked hopefully. Shippo, given reprieve from his restraint, fled to Adachi's shoulder where he once again breathed freely.

Giving his livid brother a victorious wink, Adachi led Kagome towards the sound of water, Sango and Miroku following shortly behind. Stopping for a bath at this late hour meant they would be stopping for the night, and no one, aside from Inuyasha, wanted to continue after ten solid hours of travel.

Reaching the banks of the small trickling hot spring, Adachi made a cursory check to ensure its safety. Sensing no demons in the near vicinity, Adachi looked directly at the monk. "Time to leave the women to their bathing, pervert," Adachi grinned as the monk's face fell slightly, knowing he would not be able to sneak back with the hanyou watching his every move. Shoulders slumping in defeat, Miroku turned around and walked with Adachi to their campsite.

The two women undressed, abandoning their clothing in a pile on the ground. They settled into the warm water, washing away the tension and anger with the dirt.

The pair chatted amicably, making frivolous conversation about their travels, about when they would reach the next village, and about when they would come across another jewel fragment. As the topics naturally petered out, they slipped into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company.

"I was wondering, Kagome," Sango furrowed her brow in contemplation as Kagome turned her attention toward the demon slayer. "I've never noticed a sword on Adachi. Nothing, for that matter, that would protect him from turning into a full demon."

Kagome nodded, thinking about the potential for disaster. "Adachi's not as hot-headed as Inuyasha."

"But still..."

Kagome frowned.

"Maybe he just hasn't had the right button pushed," Sango added. "I mean, he's had a pretty wonderful life by comparison. I think that when he does get angry, he's going to be far worse than Inuyasha could be. At least Inuyasha expresses his anger freely; we have _some_ kind of warning before he changes."

Kagome sank into the water, suddenly weary with the new knowledge. How would she control not one, but _two_ enraged hanyou turned full-demon? Especially with one not having a safety net to snap him back to reality.

"Do you think..." Sango continued, searching for the right way to word her thoughts. "Do you think that Kaede has another one of those necklaces handy?"

Kagome burst into a fit of giggles at the sudden thought of both hanyou under her thumb. Sango joined in, the tension once again falling forgotten into the waters that surrounded them.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha stood in the middle of the road, grumbling in annoyance as he thought about Kagome's attitude towards him in the past three days. She had been ignoring him since he had turned into his full demon self, and all because of his stupid half-brother. Never mind the fact that he had been fighting a vicious demon at the time; it was all Adachi's fault...

It seemed, in fact, that even before he had lost his control, Kagome had been acting more annoyed with Inuyasha. Her smiles, once shared willingly with all, including himself, were focusing more and more on the newest member of their group. Stupid Adachi! Without him, they were all better off, his extra shards be damned!

Inuyasha, his mind enamored with the idea of ousting the intruder, stomped off after Kagome. They would return Adachi's shards, send him on his way, and fight him for them later. Bound and determined to force Kagome to see who the _real_ hanyou was, Inuyasha rushed onward.

Breaking through the foliage surrounding the hot spring, Inuyasha was distracted from his sole purpose by not one, but two thoroughly naked women standing before him. After a brief moment of shocked silence, Inuyasha found himself flattened to the ground, his ears and head burning from the Kagome's shriek of "sit" and Sango's hiraikotsu to the noggin.

"PERVERT!" both Kagome and Sango screamed.

Inuyasha didn't even think of lifting his head as the women fled the pool to find the cover of their clothes. Unfortunately for him, that didn't stop Kagome from continuing to keep his face plastered to the ground.

"Sit!"

Kagome quickly pulled on her skirt.

"Sit!"

Sango followed suit, covering up as much as she could, as quickly as possible.

"Sit!"

With both women finally dressed after their comfortable bath, Kagome threw out one more for good measure.

"Sit!" Kagome stomped past the prone hanyou, grumbling hotly with blazing pink cheeks.

Sango tutted as she passed, muttering a forlorn, "And I thought Miroku was the pervert..."

As the spell finally wore off, Inuyasha leaped to his feet and chased after the pair.

As the women approached the camp, Miroku instantly identified the fuming looks and sheer anger radiating from them. He silently thanked Kami that he was not the cause of it for once. As he watched Inuyasha follow shortly behind, Miroku grinned and gave his friend a knowing glance.

"Couldn't wait your turn, huh, Inuyasha?"

"Can it, Monk!" Inuyasha ground out, jumping to a sturdy branch nearby, his cheeks glowing red from embarrassment. So he would wait a day or two to kick Adachi out. He had time.

- - - - - - - - - -

As the early evening progressed into night, the group found themselves spread around the campsite. Sango and Kilala, curled up next to a tree, rested comfortably. Shippo, who had once again rejoined Kagome, lay in Kagome's sleeping bag while she brushed her hair next to him. Miroku, the hand-print from earlier fading but still noticeable, leaned against a tree, his heavy-lidded eyes gazing unnoticed at the resting demon slayer.

Inuyasha sat high in a tree, his embarrassment having faded into frustrated anger hours earlier. In a subconscious show of superiority, the half-demon continued growling a warning to all lower members of his pack; namely Adachi.

Adachi crouched by the fire, prodding the embers with a long stick. The subtle sound of Inuyasha's growling played in the background of his enhanced hearing, as it had for the past several hours. The challenge held within the growl was beginning to wear thin and Adachi did not think he could stand much more.

Muttering barely loud enough to reach his half-brother's ears, Adachi issued a challenge of his own. "Fine then, Mutt, you want a challenge, how about we put some stakes on the line." Adachi allowed himself a lopsided grin as he faced the fire. "You win and I'll submit like a good little half-demon. I win," he paused as the growling increased slightly, his grin growing wider. "...and Kagome gets to see how a _real_ inu-hanyou courts his mate."

The humans in the campsite all visibly jumped as a feral snarl was issued from the trees above and Inuyasha hurtled towards his brother. Inuyasha's form flew at his brother, a rage seeming to control his movement as he swung his claws haphazardly towards his foe. Adachi, on the other hand, smoothly avoided the attacks, sidestepping and ducking easily, as if he were fighting an untrained child.

"Tut-tut, Inuyasha," Adachi chortled. "Didn't your mother ever teach you self-control?"

At the mention of his mother, Inuyasha swung his claws out carelessly. Calmly, Adachi jumped, grabbing onto Inuyasha's clothing. As he landed behind the hanyou, Adachi flung him like a catapult into a nearby tree.

Regaining her senses, Kagome took that instant to do what she did best.

"_SIT!_"

The hanyou had enough time to crash into the tree before he was pulled downward, his body scraping along the rough bark. As Adachi sneered and approached the prone form, he was startled by a harsh yell.

"Enough!" Kagome commanded. She rushed between the pair, Adachi having paused at her command. "Don't think that I won't find a way to do the same to you Adachi!" she glared at him and he threw his arms up in defeat. "You're both behaving like animals."

"What do you think we are, Kagome?" Adachi interrupted before she could continue. "We're not human, we're not bound by human interactions. We're not demon, so we aren't bound by demon custom either." He took a step forward, his penetrating gaze causing Kagome to shiver, whether in fear or anticipation, she was not sure. Adachi's voice lowered and proceeded silkily, "We have to create our own bounds, Kagome. If that means breaking another's control to protect the ones you love," Kagome gasped as his hand brushed her cheek softly. "then we break it and make him rebuild it stronger," he glanced at his brother as he strained against the curse that held him down. Steeling his voice again, Adachi continued, "...or he destroys himself."

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome lay in her sleeping bag, Shippo snuggled sleeping in her arms, as she contemplated what Adachi had said. Did Adachi mean that he was once 'broken and rebuilt'? Was he forced to lose control like that, only to be beaten down? Would Inuyasha be able to attain the same control Adachi apparently had? Would he finally be free from the burden caused by his demon blood? Or would he...?

Kagome did not dare to contemplate the finality of Adachi's last words as she slipped into blissful repose.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Review. C'mon! You know you wanna!_

_:-: Sarga_


	4. Heart in Hand

**Chichiue (_Honoured Father_)**

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

**Summary**: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dog-demon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for._

_**Translations**:_

_Inu :: dog_

_hanyou :: half demon_

_kami :: gods_

_youkai :: demon_

_- - - - - - - - - -_

**Chapter 4: Heart in Hand**

_A silver-haired hanyou youth entered his mother's bed chamber. It was well past noon, the sun arcing it's way back downward. It was unusual for his mother to be in her room for so long, she was always the first up._

_As the child pulled aside the bed curtain, he was met with a sight no child should ever have to see. His mother's broken and bloody body lay twisted in the covers on her bed, her short breaths were raspy and violent and her heavy lidded eyes were unfocused._

"_Momma?" the youth whispered in fear, shock overwhelming him. He had never seen one so close to death before, let alone a loved one._

"_Adachi..." her voice, normally soft and beautiful, was marred by a gurgle deep in her throat. _

_The youth felt a weak hand grasp for his and he held it tight, as if by holding onto it he could slow his mother's inevitable death._

"_Adachi..." His mother's eyes struggled to focus on his, but it seemed to be a loosing battle. "Avenge me..."_

_Her body contorted in pain and Adachi felt her grasp tighten painfully._

"_Find him, find...your father..." _

_Whatever his mother had been about to say was cut off with a violent choking cough. Adachi felt her grasp fall limp as her eyes glazed unseeing before him._

_Find his father._

_Avenge her._

- - - - - - - - - -

Adachi awoke sharply, the nightmare had appeared again, after years of clear sleeping. Every few years he would be reminded of his mother in this way, and every time it happened he was left with a renewed sense of urgency to fulfill his promise to her.

_Avenge her death._

Adachi's father was dead. There was no way to fulfill his promise, directly, but maybe if he destroyed the proof of his father's betrayal and infidelity. Maybe, if he killed Inuyasha...

Adachi shook his head and dropped down from his perch. Inuyasha was upwind, hunting for breakfast, blowing off steam; whatever he was doing, Adachi did not care. Inuyasha was far enough away to prevent any brash actions on Adachi's part. Actions he would undoubtedly regret later.

Adachi found himself kneeling next to Kagome's sleeping form, her peaceful face free of the anger she seemed to bare so often in Inuyasha's presence. For her sake, he would not kill the Mutt. Adachi lightly brushed a curl of hair from her eyes and heard her sigh lightly at his touch. Emboldened by her reaction, he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Inuyasha..." her whisper was barely audible.

Adachi pulled his thumb away, a wry smile on his face. Even in sleep, she thought of _him_. Kagome had met Inuyasha first, and in him saw the same face, the same hair, the same eyes. In Adachi she saw Inuyasha. That would not do.

Adachi leaped back into the tree.

Nope, that would not do at all.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome awoke, to an unusual sight: mid-summer snow. Blinking to clear her vision, Kagome sat up in confusion. Shaking her head when the silvery blanket did not disappear, Kagome looked around her and realized that it was in a pile underneath a tree and it was not snow. Perplexed, Kagome stood up and walked to the pile, kneeling next to it.

"Hair...?" Kagome questioned as she lifted the detached strands from their resting place on the ground.

When Adachi landed in front of her, just beyond the pile of discarded hair, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Falling onto her backside, Kagome gave a startled look to the hanyou. Instead of long, gleaming locks, his hair was pulled into a tight top-knot.

Seeing Kagome's shocked look, Adachi shook his head lightly and chuckled. Helping her to her feet, he addressed her questioning gaze.

"Do you like it?" Adachi chuckled. "It's my own work..." He proceeded to fluff up his hair vainly with obvious dramatic flair, wiggling his ears for effect.

Kagome giggled and Adachi smiled as she reached her hand out to brush it along the newly cut edges. This was a good sign to him, she was accepting his new visage.

Shippo jumped to Kagome's shoulder, having stirred awake when Kagome's warmth had left him.

"Why'd ya do that?" Shippo pointed to Adachi's head. "Isn't the top-knot a human thing?"

Adachi smirked, folding his arms and leaning back against the tree. "Like I said yesterday, we make our own rules. Besides," his smile faltered almost imperceptibly. "It had to be done."

A rustling behind them halted any further discussion on the matter as the remainder of the camp began to awaken. Miroku seemed oblivious to Adachi's change in hairstyle while Sango made up for Miroku's lack of interest by continuously staring.

Inuyasha returned with fish a few minutes later, coming to an abrupt stop at the sight of Adachi. "Oi, did ya lose a fight with a crab demon?"

Inuyasha placed the cleaned and gutted fish in front of Miroku as Adachi responded with a low growl. Sango, suddenly aware that she was staring, hastily began working on preparing the meat to be cooked over the fire.

"What's the matter Mutt, afraid of a little competition?" Adachi heard Kagome's sharp intake of breath as they both anticipated Inuyasha's response.

"Competition? There is no competition. Kagome knows where she belongs," Inuyasha postured. "Right by my side, finding jewel shards!"

An enraged squeak was all Inuyasha heard before he crashed to the ground at the speed of sound. The sound of Kagome's heavy footsteps stomping out of the clearing let him know that he was in trouble. The crater he resided in let him know that it was _BIG_ trouble.

Adachi followed quickly after Kagome, her fuming mumbles sounding a little like 'kill' and 'maim' to his expert ears. Catching up with her as she stood at the edge of the hot spring, Adachi put a hand on her shoulder. As she turned to face him, he could see the unmistakable sign of tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Don't worry about him, Kagome," Adachi breathed, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "He's a fool! You would make any half-demon a worthy mate."

Kagome made a small gasp as Adachi leaned towards her, capturing her lips with his own. He felt her pulse quicken and wrapped an arm gently around her waist. Instead of the sweet surrender he was hoping for, however, he felt her body go rigid as she pulled herself bodily away.

"Adachi, no. I...I don't like you like that..." Kagome whispered. "Even if he treats me like that, I...I can't..."

Adachi placed a clawed finger delicately on her lips. "Shh. It's okay." He flashed her a toothy grin. "I figured as much," Adachi shrugged, pulling his arm away. "Can't blame a guy for trying, though, huh?"

Kagome gave him a half-hearted smile.

Pulling Kagome into a hug and taking a deep inhalation of her intoxicating scent, Adachi attempted to provide her comfort in another way. "I can't speak for him, but _I_ know you are irreplaceable, and not just because of your jewel detection skills." He kissed her on the forehead tenderly. "If you ever have a change of heart, I'll be waiting for you."

Without waiting for Kagome's reaction, Adachi took to the trees before she could see his repressed rage at his brother's stupidity.

- - - - - - - - - -

Adachi eyed Inuyasha warily.

Inuyasha eyed Adachi warily.

The pair made the rest of the group weary.

Miroku broke the stifling silence. "We should be able to reach the next town by mid-afternoon."

Kagome, Sango and Shippo ate their breakfast without commenting.

Miroku sighed and shrugged. "Can't say I didn't try," he mumbled, returning to his own meal.

Her breakfast finished, Kagome packed up the rest of the campsite into her backpack. She turned quietly and lead the way back to the road.

As they walked in uncomfortable silence, Sango elbowed Kagome. "I think now's as good a time as any to ask Adachi about his demon nature," she whispered. "It's not like he's got anything better to do."

Considering Sango's suggestion, Kagome looked towards the hanyou pair at the front of the pack. Their subtle growling contest was turning not-so-subtle and Kagome sighed her agreement. Walking up to the pair she gently clasped Adachi's arm, swinging both of the brother's gazes sharply towards her intrusion.

"If you two aren't too busy, I'm going to borrow Adachi for a while." Kagome did not wait for a response and proceeded to bring Adachi to the rear of the pack. Sango kept Inuyasha moving forward, and while he could still hear the conversation, Sango would not let him jump at his brother before he could answer Kagome's questions.

"What did you mean yesterday? When you said you had to 'break his control'?" Kagome queried.

With a snort, Adachi gave a smirk. "I mean, even with our father's sword, he can't control his own blood. I was a child when I learned the skill and I only had this to fall back on."

Adachi pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. A small tooth hung on a simple chain, the fang obviously from a dog demon.

"Mother didn't have time to have it crafted into something more useful," Adachi glanced meaningfully towards his brother. "Say, like a sword or something. She did, however, manage to find someone to imbue demon-suppression magic into a necklace, something about my father's strength lending itself to me in times of need.

"As it stands, I rarely need it. The only time I've ever changed was when I was nearly killed during an attack on my mentor's home. I protected him nearly at the cost of myself. He...trained me...after that." Adachi smirked at the memory. "I have to give credit to the old man, he was very wise and, now that I look back on it, somewhat crazy. He brought me closer and closer to death until my body was so used to the state that it didn't react like his." Adachi motioned his head towards Inuyasha.

Kagome's eyes widened as Adachi spoke. "Your trainer sounds brutal," she gasped.

Adachi chuckled. "Not at all. Think about it...he pushed me hard enough to build my strength but gave me enough slack to not drive my demon blood over the edge. If he hadn't done what he did, I would have died a dozen times in the past sixty years." Adachi sobered up as he spoke. "I was in no shape to survive on my own when my mother died."

The walked onward in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Kagome asked the hardest question she had ever asked anyone.

"Do you think you could do the same for Inuyasha?"

The entire group froze in their tracks. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, glaring towards his brother with the 'better control'. Sango and Miroku looked to Kagome with shock.

Adachi shook his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Not me." He opened his eyes and stared into hers. "But you could."

"Me?" Kagome whispered, her voice clear in the dead silence.

"You're the one who can bring him back if he goes over the edge. He trusts you enough to push him to the edge without defending himself. If he's willing, you'd be able."

Kagome looked to Inuyasha. In that instant, the world melted away, leaving just the two of them. She saw in him the desire to grow stronger, not in the way he had desired before, for the sake of becoming the strongest demon, rather to grow strong for her sake, to be a better protector. Looking into his eyes she knew that Adachi was right, only she could do this.

Kagome, her eyes still locked with Inuyasha's, asked Adachi one final question.

"How?"

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome stood tall, her bow drawn back, her arrow pointed steadily at her unmoving target: Inuyasha.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, relying on Kagome's ever-improving skills to aim true.

Kagome took a deep breath and let fly the first of many arrows meant to break him down. The arrows, while not imbued with her spiritual energy, still packed a wallop and after plucking the sixth from his torso, Inuyasha began to feel lightheaded. He wobbled on his feet and Kagome hesitated, her stomach flipping inside of her as her concern began to overwhelm her.

"More," Inuyasha grunted.

Kagome complied.

On that first day, Inuyasha collapsed after seventeen arrows. On the second day, having recovered overnight, he lasted for six more. On the third day, Kagome thought she had killed him. On the fourth day, Inuyasha spent reassuring Kagome the end result would be worthwhile. On the fifth, sixth and seventh days Inuyasha collapsed without changing, his demon blood showing no sign of overtaking him.

On the eighth day, as Kagome drew her twenty-fourth arrow, Inuyasha once again on the brink of blood-loss induced unconsciousness something new happened. Without warning, Kagome found her back to a tree and her throat at the business end of a sword. Adachi's red eyes blazed into her own and Kagome panicked. With a flash of spiritual energy, the best she could manage was to singe his hand.

A feral growl was all either of them heard before Adachi was impacted by a fast-moving body. The streak of blood left on Kagome's shirt told her of who had defended her from the unprovoked attack, and soon she saw the pair roll into view, a non-demon Inuyasha pummeled Adachi. The latter, making no further threatening movements, took the beating without resistance.

"Stop, Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, hoping against hope that she was right.

Inuyasha halted, the unmoving body under him making no indication that it would do anything but remain dormant. As Inuyasha backed away, Adachi opened his eyes and grinned.

"Congratulations, Mutt. Looks like you've gained control over your demon blood."

Inuyasha, his stance somewhat weakened, still did not move from in between Adachi and Kagome. It wasn't until Adachi had removed himself that Inuyasha allowed himself the luxury of sinking to the ground.

Hopefully it would be so easy when battling against Naraku.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha sat in Kaede's hut when a familiar and unwelcome scent made itself known. Growling low, Inuyasha rose to his feet and reached for Tetsusaiga.

"Sesshoumaru."

Without further explanation, Inuyasha was off like a shot, heading towards the distinct scent that was his demon half-brother.

Adachi looked to Kagome for an explanation.

"Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's and your half-brother," Kagome explained. "He's a full demon who doesn't like human/demon interactions and sees hanyou as abominations. He keeps trying to kill Inuyasha for Tetsusaiga."

Adachi nodded, motioning for Kagome to climb on his back before taking off after Inuyasha. Shippo ran towards the river to find Sango and Miroku.

As Adachi and Kagome approached the brothers both of them smelled the distinctive tang of blood on the wind. Inuyasha's blood.

As they ran into view Inuyasha let loose a bloody attack towards his immaculate brother.

Adachi dropped Kagome gracefully to the ground. Without explanation, he ran into the fray, knocking a wounded Inuyasha clear out of the battlefield.

Sango and Miroku, riding atop Kilala landed next to Kagome, drawing their weapons defensively, not willing to be caught with their guards down.

"You son of a..." Adachi yelled as his form was overcome by a wave of rage. Lunging at Sesshoumaru, Adachi missed his target as it shifted easily out of the way.

So much for control.

"Adachi," Sesshoumaru responded calmly as he avoided yet another attack. "I thought your mother would have killed you by now," Kagome saw a flash of emotion in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he added a final word that shocked them all into silence: "_Son_."

- - - - - - - - - -

_Reviews are my muses. The more I have the more I write. Do your part to keep me inspired: Review!_

_:-: Sarga_


	5. Secrets Revealed

**Chichiue (_Honoured Father_)**

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

**Summary**: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dog-demon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for._

_**Translations**:_

_Inu :: dog_

_hanyou :: half demon_

_kami :: gods_

_koi :: love_

_youkai :: demon_

_- - - - - - - - - -_

**Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed**

"It is time for you to learn to fully control those human emotions, Adachi." Sesshoumaru side-stepped another angry but poorly aimed blow. "I have let you train long enough. The misplaced anger you have harbored towards me should be released in favour of further advancing your skills."

"_Misplaced_!" Adachi screamed. "How dare you belittle her death, you murderous demon?!" Adachi found himself face first in the dirt as he misjudged his aim once more. He was suddenly raised off of the ground, his fiery eyes meeting his father's equally enraged gaze.

With a rare show of emotion, Sesshoumaru snarled as he held his son by the throat.

"I will only say this once and only once: I _did not_ kill your mother. She was my mate, and regardless of her role in the death of your sister, I would not, _could not_ kill her." Sesshoumaru dropped Adachi unceremoniously to the ground, his face an unreadable mask once more.

"I don't have a sister!" Adachi spat out from the ground.

"Not any more. Your mother saw to that." Sesshoumaru retorted coolly.

"_Liar_!" Adachi jumped up but once again found himself suspended in midair.

"I have little patience, Adachi. Do not test me more than you already have. Why do you think you were in the company of such a despicable human 'lord' as Gokashi? I will tell you the truth of the matter. If you cannot accept it, than I will leave you here as you are. If you seek me out after rejecting the truth, I will no longer show patience. Are we clear?" Sesshoumaru, a mere breath away from Adachi, pulled back and lowered his son to his feet.

In a rough voice, razzed by the harsh treatment he had received, Adachi responded. "Speak."

"Very well..."

- - - - - - - - - -

_Sesshoumaru stood in his library facing the messenger who bore news that could not have been more unwelcome. If she had been any other person he would have slain her where she stood. But Maruji, his own daughter, knew that. And so she had told him in person, in a manner that left no room for argument._

_Sesshoumaru's mate, Maruji's mother, was planning to have him assassinated._

_And for what? It seemed that she wished to be free of her husband, her mate, so that she could marry again. With the Western lands as a dowry, through her children who were Sesshoumaru's heirs, she would be able to live a comfortable life with a human husband. She claimed that the demon customs were overwhelming and too 'barbaric' for her 'refined' human tastes._

_She had approached one of the local demon 'dissenters', one who had made his distaste for the lord's rule an obvious focal point for his hatred. One who was also paid handsomely by said lord to report any other dissenters to him. Knowing one's enemies certainly made the world a safer place._

_Unbeknown to Sesshoumaru's mate, this particular 'dissenter' was also teaching Maruji, her teenage daughter, the art of deceit and political strategy. As a result, her own daughter bore witness to her betrayal._

"_You know that if it were any other person, you would be dead for spreading false rumors meant to disrupt this family." Sesshoumaru spoke quietly in a last attempt to feel for any hint of betrayal from his beloved daughter and heir._

_There was none._

"_Yes, father." Maruji's deep brown eyes filled with unshed tears. She held her head high, refusing to show the human weakness he half-heartedly scolded her for from time to time. Maruji's long black hair, unkempt and windblown, spoke of the haste of her visit to her father. Normally she would only allow herself such disarray when spending time with her twin brother and uncle._

_Her twin brother, Adachi, the son who would normally be heir before her, was a mere infant in comparison. His demon blood ran stronger, slowing his aging so that he appeared to be only three years of age. By the time Adachi grew of age, she would be an old woman. She would rule for the duration of her life, should her father and grandfather predecease her, to be followed by her brother upon her own death._

_As Sesshoumaru slumped into his chair, Maruji saw an uncharacteristic display of weariness from her father. "It is good that she went to one of our decoys as opposed to an enemy," he sighed. "She can be restrained without any public show of animosity. You have done well, daughter." Maruji relaxed visibly, her eyes clearing slightly as he spoke. "I will need to speak to your grandfather. It would be best to respond quickly and he would know how best to proceed." Sesshoumaru showed the slightest smile. "Your mother is not a patient woman and our decoy will only be able to delay her for a few days at most."_

_Nodding, deep in thought herself, Maruji offered to fetch her grandfather. "I'll go get him now, father. I..." She paused as her voice hitched with the anguish she felt. "I'm sorry this happened."_

_Sesshoumaru nodded. "Tell your grandfather to come quickly. The sooner, the better."_

_Sesshoumaru watched as his daughter left to find Lord Inutaisho. He found himself reflecting on his mate, his wife. When had she started to betray him? Surely she had loved him at some point? Despite her fickle human emotions, even she was capable of that, wasn't she?_

_The demon was pulled from his reflection by a strong rapid knock from the library door._

_Once again composed, Sesshoumaru placed his clasped hands on his desk in front of him. "Enter."_

_As commanded, the great Lord Inutaisho entered the library followed by Maruji._

"_Father." Sesshoumaru stood and bowed deeply in a show of respect and submission. Raising back to full height, Sesshoumaru motioned towards the wide library windows. Seating themselves in the sun's unwavering light, Sesshoumaru faced his father while Maruji sat at his side._

"_My mate has betrayed me." Sesshoumaru admitted without hesitation._

_Inutaisho raised an eyebrow and thought a moment before responding. "As my heir, there are only three options available to you. Execution," Inutaisho paused as Sesshoumaru growled his distaste for that option. "Banishment, or imprisonment."_

"_I will imprison her here. She would appear in public as my mate, but be restricted when not at my side. She will fulfill her obligations as my mate but will hold no freedoms of her own."_

_A sudden movement at his side caused Sesshoumaru to jump to his feet. His daughter lunged towards him only to fall onto the floor in a heap. Inutaisho jumped through the open window and was quickly followed by a solid thump as he dismembered the assassin._

_Sesshoumaru clutched his daughter to his chest. She was dead, killed by a very effective poison. She had prevented his death at the cost of her own. With a soul-searing howl, he cried out in torment, having lost his darling daughter._

_Sesshoumaru felt rather than saw as his father returned through the window. Inutaisho was met with the sight of his normally stoic son shedding tears for his eldest child. Sorrowful silence filled the room as the mourning father clutched at his broken child._

"_She will not go easily, but she cannot stay here." Inutaisho stated in a grief-stricken whisper. "You must banish your mate or kill her. It is your duty as heir to protect yourself and the people of your future lands."_

_Freely showing an immense sorrow he had never before felt, let alone expressed, Sesshoumaru lifted his daughter with gentleness and love. He made an internal vow to make these the last tears he would ever shed. No other would enter his heart and cause such torment ever again. He headed towards the library door, holding his daughter close._

_With a final kiss to her forehead, Sesshoumaru turned towards his father. _

_In a voice cool and steady, Sesshoumaru spoke to his father. "Take her. I will complete my duty."_

_Inutaisho took his grandchild and headed towards his own mate to prepare for the child's funeral._

_Sesshoumaru reached his chambers in record time. He could smell that she had just entered, no doubt after having paid for this current assassination attempt._

_Without any trace of the turmoil that was ripping through him, Sesshoumaru entered his chamber and seized his mate by the shoulders. Pushing her harshly against the wall, she reacted every bit as guiltily as she was. She opened her mouth as if to defend her actions._

"_Don't even try it," Sesshoumaru's cold voice cut off any protests she may have had. "Maruji, our daughter, your own flesh and blood, is dead." Her face paled with understanding. "You have two choices, death or exile. I will give you this choice as the last act of our mating bond. Respond!"_

"_I...Exile," her weak voice betrayed her fear and he all but spat in contempt at her weak, too-human display._

_His control slipping slightly, Sesshoumaru sneered towards her. "I promise you, the next time I see you, you will be dead. Make sure you are gone by sundown. All of my guards will be instructed to kill you without question if you linger." Leaving no room for argument, Sesshoumaru turned and stalked from the room, leaving the shaken woman to gather her belongings and go._

- - - - - - - - - -

Sesshoumaru paused a moment, letting Adachi and the others absorb the tale.

"I do not know how she took you from the grounds, Adachi. By the time we realized you were with her, she was gone. I was not willing to go back on my promise to kill her but I was also unable to bring myself to fulfill that promise and give chase. I did what I had to in order to remain in control. I allowed her to take you. I allowed her to sell herself to the first human with any measure of power. And I allowed her to die by his hand instead of mine..."

- - - - - - - - - -

_Adachi, a hanyou youth, entered his mother's bed chamber. It was well past noon, the sun arcing it's way back downward. It was unusual for his mother to be in her room for so long, she was always the first up._

_As Adachi pulled aside the bed curtain, he was met with a sight no child should ever have to see. His mother's broken and bloody body lay twisted in the covers on her bed. Her short breaths were raspy and violent and her heavy lidded eyes were unfocused._

"_Momma?" the youth whispered in fear, shock overwhelming him. He had never seen one so close to death before, let alone a loved one._

"_Adachi..." her voice, normally soft and beautiful, was marred by a gurgle deep in her throat. _

_Adachi felt a weak hand grasp for his and he held it tight, as if by holding onto it he could slow his mother's inevitable death._

"_Adachi..." His mother's eyes struggled to focus on his, but it seemed to be a loosing battle. "Avenge me..."_

_Her body contorted in pain and Adachi felt her grasp tighten painfully._

"_Find him, find...your father..." _

_Whatever his mother had been about to say was cut off with a violent choking cough. Adachi felt her grasp fall limp as her eyes glazed unseeing before him._

Find his father.

Avenge her.

_He would do that. He would fulfill her dying wish. He would kill the demon who had thrust them out without a care for their safety and security. He would kill the one responsible for stealing the peace they had found. He would kill his father._

"_Yes, momma," Adachi whispered reverently._

_Adachi gently placed his mother's hand on her chest and closed her lifeless eyes. With the tenderness one would expect from a new parent to an infant, the child untangled the blanket from around her and gently laid it over her body. With a final kiss to the cheek, Adachi covered his mother's face with the blanket._

_Turning abruptly, Adachi walked steadily to his mother's desk. Taking a quill he left a note for his surrogate father, the one who had taken them in after they had been cast from the western lands._

Honourable Gokashi,

I have left to avenge the death of my mother. Thank you for your kindness, however I cannot seek further refuge from you. Your love of peace would deny me the training I require to become strong enough to defeat the 'great' Lord of the Western Lands, the one responsible for her gruesome death. Again, many thanks for your support during our time of need. Our debt to you will be repaid in full when I have avenged Mother's death and have obtained my rightful title of Lord.

I wish Mother had met you first, then we would not be in such a situation...

With the love of one who would be your son,

Adachi

_Laying the note on the desk, Adachi turned towards the large balcony. He left the house that had been a home since childhood, gently closing the doors behind him._

_With a mighty leap worthy of any full demon, Adachi flew towards the forest's edge. He knew of only one person who would be willing to train him, an old human who had been banished by Gokashi for trying to train Adachi when he was a boy. Gokashi had been livid when he found out that the man had been teaching battle techniques, such was his desire for peace._

_Without a further glance backwards Adachi raced towards his new life, one of loneliness and death. Adachi was a child no more._

_- - - - - - - - - -_

_Less than an hour after his lover's death, Gokashi stood in her chambers. With a look of pure glee, the man read and re-read the note left behind by the half-breed whelp she had burdened him with._

_With a laugh, he shouted over his shoulder to the covered corpse on the bed. "You hear that? He thought I was 'peace loving'! The whelp didn't realize the only one untrained was him. Couldn't have a trained animal ready to fight when his mother was punished, after all." He grinned in delight. "Now the bastard believes that I've provided for him out of the goodness of my heart and that I'm worthy to be repaid..."_

_With a mock tenderness, Gokashi turned towards the bed. "You really shouldn't have turned away from the advances of my dear friend, koi. That was our deal after all. You sleep with who I tell you to, I keep you and the whelp with a roof overhead and you get to dress in pretty kimonos." He frowned a moment. "That really wasn't wise, koi. Of all the men to reject, you had to reject him...what a pity. If it had been anyone else, I might have been able to keep you alive."_

_Gokashi shook off the frown and went back to grinning, not noticing the shadow that was suddenly cast over the door of the balcony._

"_You are quite lucky you found me though. Not many men would be willing to take in a demon's leftovers, although your 'eternal' youth certainly came in handy..."_

_Gokashi felt himself lifted forcibly from his feet. He felt a sharp pain in his neck before he was whirled around and slammed against the wall, held by his neck with a clawed hand._

"_Where is my son?" Sesshoumaru intoned._

_The question, so simple, so direct, should have had a clear answer._

_Gokashi laughed, as freely as one who is pinned by the neck could laugh. The grip on his neck tightened, cutting off the impromptu joviality._

"_You obviously do not value your life, human. Tell me what I need to know and you may go back to your depraved excuse for an existence." The cool voice showed none of the anger that was apparent through his ironclad grip._

_After a few seconds, the grip was slackened enough to permit speech. Gokashi grinned._

"_Read the letter, oh mighty Sesshoumaru, 'Lord of the Western Lands'." Sesshoumaru neither turned nor acknowledged that he had spoken. Still grinning, Gokashi described the contents of the letter. "It seems your 'son' holds you responsible for this little mess." He gestured generously towards the bloody bed. "Too bad for you, he might be a chal..." His words were cut short and his body slumped lifelessly to the floor._

"_Miserable human."_

_Sesshoumaru turned towards the desk and read the letter himself, noting the way Gokashi had seemingly completely deceived his own flesh and blood. If he had been raising his son, the boy would have scented the traitor's lies. Not that he had noticed the deceit in the scent of his own mate. That had been a hard lesson, but it had been a lesson fully learned. Humans were not worth anything more than fodder to throw at the enemy. The boy would learn that too._

_In the meantime, it would serve well for the boy's anger to spur on his training. He could be taught control after he knew his own strengths and weaknesses. Besides, he had been raised among humans and his human emotions were bound to make him as unreasonable as the fool lying dead on the floor. _

_Without a glance towards the bed containing his dead mate, Sesshoumaru left as stealthily as he had entered. As promised, she was dead when he saw her again._

- - - - - - - - - -

Adachi stumbled backwards and fell heavily against a tree. Sliding down the rough bark, he stared blankly at the ground. Could this be true? Could the man who he had considered his savior really be the one responsible for his suffering?

Even as he tried to deny it, Adachi could not refute the truth of Sesshoumaru's words. Gokashi must have had trained soldiers, otherwise he could not have been lord over the village; any bandit would have pillaged a defenseless village. His mother had bruises far too often for an honest man's lover. Gokashi's controlling attitude...his restriction of Adachi's movement...the 'tutor' who kept an eye on him all hours of the day...

Adachi felt himself grow sick as the reality of the situation hit him.

"I believe you." The words, barely a whisper, carried only to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru nodded, a cloud forming at his feet as he lifted in the air.

"I will return to the castle. When you are ready to further your training, seek me there." Sesshoumaru disappeared in a flash.

"Adachi," Kagome's whisper was full of pain, understanding, and friendship. She sank to the ground next to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. The nurturing action, one he had not experienced since his mother was alive, broke the little control he had maintained.

Adachi felt silent tears stream down his face as he leaned towards Kagome. Inuyasha crossed his arms, unspoken insults abandoned before they made it to his lips.

"What are you going to do now, Adachi?" Miroku asked as Adachi's mournful tears dried and his composure was regained.

"I...I don't know..." Adachi looked towards Miroku, his eyes wide as if seeing him for the first time. "I don't think I want her back as badly as I used to. Before she was a perfect person who provided me with love and acceptance, but now? She was willing to kill her own mate. She essentially killed her own daughter. She stole me from a home I might have been happy in. I don't think I would fare any better than my father if she were brought back."

Adachi looked towards Inuyasha. "I think it's about time I left this group...Uncle." He lifted himself from the ground and gave a deep bow towards Inuyasha. "Thank you for everything, Inuyasha. We may no longer be 'brothers', but I still consider you one." Adachi grinned mischievously. "I'll convince father that human's aren't all traitors. Give me a few years and he'll come around."

Turning towards Miroku, Sango and Shippo, Adachi gave another bow. "Thanks for your support, guys. Inuyasha's found some real friends in you." Turning towards Kagome, Adachi clasped her hand in his. "Kagome," he smiled softly, suddenly unable to find any words. Abandoning speech, Adachi pulled her into a warm hug. "I'll miss you most," he whispered in her ear.

Pulling away, Adachi addressed the group. "When you need help with Naraku, you know where I'll be."

At that Adachi leaped away, heading towards the promise of a new future.

**END**

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_Let me know what you think: Review!_

_Until next time..._

_:-: Sarga_


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